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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24904198">Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBreezeAtDawn/pseuds/TheBreezeAtDawn'>TheBreezeAtDawn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Time is relative(ly insane) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossover, Gen, M/M, Other, POV Outsider, Reincarnation, Slow To Update</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:01:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,094</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24904198</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBreezeAtDawn/pseuds/TheBreezeAtDawn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kacchan and Kirishima have changed from one day to another, and Izuku doesn't know what to think.  He watches through thirteen different circumstances (until he sort of understands).</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ashido Mina &amp; Bakugou Katsuki &amp; Kaminari Denki &amp; Kirishima Eijirou &amp; Sero Hanta, Bakugou Katsuki &amp; Class 1-A, Bakugou Katsuki &amp; Kirishima Eijirou, Bakugou Katsuki &amp; Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Katsuki/Kirishima Eijirou, Class 1-A &amp; Kirishima Eijirou, Class 1-A &amp; Midoriya Izuku, Hatake Kakashi &amp; Maito Gai | Might Guy, Hatake Kakashi/Maito Gai | Might Guy, Kirishima Eijirou &amp; Midoriya Izuku</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Time is relative(ly insane) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1802032</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>219</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Title and quotes are from the poem "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird" by Wallace Stevens.</p><p>Sorry this took so long!  Work picked up again and class was kicking my butt.  Anyway, thank you to navso311 for the great idea (I don't know how to link that?) and hopefully I got it pretty close to what you were thinking!  Updates will probably be pretty slow, I want to try weekly but class ended a few days ago and I'm looking for a second job, so we'll see.  I hope you all are doing well, and I hope you enjoy this!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> 1 </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Among twenty snowy mountains, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The only moving thing </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Was the eye of the blackbird. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> -Wallace Stevens-  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Light flashed around him, thunder rolling overhead as the dark clouds cried.  Izuku twisted and turned, eyelids heavy as he struggled to run, his limbs as heavy as lead, his eyes refused to open, and ahead of him, with a Nomu’s clawed hand tight around his throat, was Kacchan.  All-for-One was gone, and Izuku was clutching a backpack, throwing it desperately forward <em> but he couldn’t let go and the wind was howling and Kacchan was muzzled on a podium in front of all of Japan, green slime was bubbling up from the ground stained with red blood- </em></p><p> </p><p>“I AM HERE!”  Izuku’s hand shot out and knocked his All Might alarm from his bedside table, groggily staring at the floor as the booming voice skipped and shuttered, something inside broken from the rough treatment, “I-  HERE!  HERE!  HERE!”  He forced himself to his feet, shaking away the shards of nightmare that still clung to him, and pressed the button to turn it off.  Damn, that had been a limited edition, too.  Maybe Hatsume would fix it if he agreed to help test run some of her ‘babies’.</p><p> </p><p>The lingering unease from the nightmare faded as he changed and stretched, muscles sore from sparring with Uraraka, Iida, and Todoroki over the weekend.  Iida and Yaoyorozu were the only ones in the common kitchen when he came down, Iida unrepentant in his wakefulness, with full, sweeping gestures and punctuating shouts.  Yaoyorozu was slumped over a mug of coffee, her hair down and sleep-messy.  That was odd.  Usually Kacchan was back from his morning run by now.  Izuku shrugged it off as still getting used to the relatively new dorms and started scrambling some eggs.  The sight of Kacchan’s wide, terrified eyes from his nightmare was lost in wakefulness.</p><p> </p><p>When there was fifteen minutes until class was supposed to start and neither Kacchan nor Kirishima had appeared, Izuku let the earlier unease return.  Mina, Kaminari, and Sero- the rest of the so-called “Bakusquad”- had appeared in the common room only minutes ago, but they already looked fidgety as well.  (And Kacchan had friends, close friends, like he hadn’t had since he’d gotten his quirk and Izuku didn’t, and something in Izuku glowed warm and bright and proud at that, but there was another part, a large shameful part of him, that felt empty and upset- <em> I could’ve been part of that, we could’ve been friends for years, why did he have to push me away? </em>)</p><p> </p><p>“Do you think he’ll kill us if we try and wake him up?”  Kaminari asked, half-joking and half-serious, and Izuku could only shrug mutely.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, it has been kinda rough on him lately.  Maybe we should let him sleep in?”  Mina suggested, her pointer finger pressed to her chin in thought.</p><p> </p><p>“And let him kill us later for making him late to class?  No way.  Let's just get Kirishima and <em> he </em>can be the sacrifice!”  Sero suggested, and Izuku wasn’t sure what to make of the evil smiles that crawled over Kaminari and Mina’s faces.  Either way, Iida was getting impatient and they had eleven minutes before class started.  Uraraka dragged him out the door, giggling at the dastardly looks that had taken over her three classmates’ faces.</p><p> </p><p>“It’ll be fine” she reassured him, “Kirishima’ll get him up with minimal casualties!”  Izuku nodded and smiled back, but something still tugged at his gut.  He pushed it away- <em> it’s okay, Sero, Mina, and Kaminari are capable, he doesn’t have to help </em>- and followed her out the door to where Iida was waiting, straight-backed against the bright orange of the rising sun.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Izuku could admit that he let out a sigh of relief when Kacchan arrived on time with Kirishima, Sero, Kaminari, and Mina crowded around him.  They all seemed to be teasing him about something, though, and Kirishima’s face was cherry red, a hand itching awkwardly at the back of his neck.  A sharp crackling and an explosion of bright yellow drove them away from Kacchan to their “fucking seats” as he so elegantly put it.</p><p> </p><p>When Kacchan turned to walk to his own desk in front of Izuku, Izuku saw a black mask pulled over his mouth and nose.  Was he sick?  Was that why he was almost late?  There were bags that pulled heavy at Kacchan’s sleepy eyes.  Izuku didn’t think he'd ever seen his old (friend?) so… <em> unaware </em>, for lack of a better word.  He looked shaken and changed, somehow, in a fundamental way that even Kamino hadn’t managed.  He realized he was staring when Kacchan quirked an unimpressed brow and flopped gracelessly down into his chair, breaking eye contact as he spun to drop his feet on his desk.  He pulled a cheap looking paperback out of his bag and propped it up against his legs.  Izuku caught glimpses of English words from his place behind him, but could not make out what it was about.</p><p> </p><p>Mineta walked into the room as the bell rang and the yellow sleeping bag at the front wiggled into a standing position.  When the purple-haired boy caught a glimpse of what little of the cover showed on Kacchan’s book he choked.  Izuku could tell he was about to say something, but-</p><p> </p><p>“Maa, is something wrong Melvin-kun?”  Izuku’s soul left his body and he heard a punched out sound to his left, like someone had socked one of his classmates and they’d lost their air.  The class dropped into a dead quiet- even Aizawa-sensei stilled from where he was about to start talking, looking at Kacchan with an indecipherable expression on his face.  Izuku, meanwhile, went rapidly through the five stages of grief, landed on acceptance, and decided to question his existence when he was more awake.</p><p> </p><p>“I- uhhh.  Nope, no problem at all!  Mr. Bakugou- er, um Katsu- uh, nope, nothing!”  Mineta fairly dove to his seat and hid quickly behind a propped up heroics textbook.  Izuku was frozen, staring as Kacchan traced Mineta’s movement until Izuku could see his profile, his visible eye curled into a smile.  The rest of the class was still sitting, shocked, like Kacchan had shown up in a lei and hot pink heels, all while declaring his intent to join Handyman and the spiders from mars.  Izuku coughed a little at the mental image <em> that </em>conjured, and stilled when Kacchan slid his gaze to look out of the corner of his eye, right at him.</p><p> </p><p>Izuku didn’t know the last time Kacchan had looked him directly in the eye, even if it was just with one.  Kacchan’s gaze straightened from the unexpected smile, and he stared, still from his peripheral, straight into Izuku’s wide eyes.  It was- <em> slightly </em> - stressful.  Izuku couldn’t see the expression hidden by Kacchan’s mask, and-  (What?  What do I do?  Am I supposed to say something?  <em> What’s going on with Kacchan, Something’s WRONG </em>-)</p><p> </p><p>“Mineta!  That was incredibly not youth- uh, <em> manly </em> of you!”  Izuku would literally kill for Kirishima.  Kacchan’s suddenly solemn gaze was torn away with the shout, and Izuku saw him looking at Kirishima, his face smooth without the creases scowling always brought.  He looked like he was stargazing or hiking, peaceful and warm, watching as the sun broke over the horizon.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Oh.  Maybe that’s what the teasing was about. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Aizawa-sensei pulled attention back to himself with a few sharp words, and Izuku tried to focus, even as he saw the rest of the class quietly resolve to <em> talk about this later </em>through a flurry of half-aborted movements and waggling eyebrows.  </p><p> </p><p>Kacchan’s garnet eyes hardly left Kirishima’s as class continued, almost normally.  They both seemed different.</p><p> </p><p>- - -</p><p> </p><p>[EXCERPT FROM HERO ANALYSIS JOURNAL <em> ‘K’ </em>]</p><p> </p><p>Monday xx / xx / xxx</p>
<ul>
<li>Kacchan woke up later than usual, “Bakusquad” had to get him up?</li>
<li>Wearing face mask- sick?</li>
<li>Kacchan showed up to class later than usual, teased <em>(!?)</em> by friends- something with Kirishima?</li>
<li>Reading English book, Min*ta seemed startled by cover</li>
<li>Called Min*ta “Melvin-kun”</li>
<li>Smiled <em>(?)</em>
</li>
<li>Didn’t threaten me with bodily harm <em>(??)</em>
</li>
<li>(Is he dating Kirishima???  He looked so happy (think hiking) when he looked at him) (Actually, does Kacchan like guys? <em>or anyone?</em>)</li>
<li>If it was anyone it’d be Kirishima <em>(?)</em>
</li>
<li>???</li>
</ul><p> </p><p>- - -</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Oof, this took a while.  I have a better idea how I want this fic to go, but it's still gonna be slow updates, unfortunately.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> 2 </em>
</p><p>
  <em> I was of three minds, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Like a tree </em>
</p><p>
  <em> In which there are three blackbirds. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> -Wallace Stevens-  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>For all of the oddities the morning had held, the day proved to be almost normal.  Mineta was distinctly more subdued, which, by Izuku’s view, was not a bad thing at all.  Mineta wasn’t the only subdued one, though- Kacchan was <em> tired </em>.  Izuku could see it in his slumping posture, his head leaned against the palm of his hand, and the idle way he scrawled notes.</p><p> </p><p>Nightmares.  That was it, nightmares.  Who could blame him, after everything he’d been through?  That must’ve been why he was so slow getting up and getting to school, a restless night, a fitful sleep (like Izuku).  But Kacchan had been up against worse odds, right?  He’d never faltered before- (<em> but maybe the person in front of Izuku isn’t Kacchan, not completely, maybe the kidnapping really did change him?  Should Izuku try to talk to him- </em> a red eye staring right at him, <em> through him </em> , to his very thoughts, that morning- <em> something’s WRONG! </em>)  </p><p> </p><p>It felt like his brain yelled at him, not words but a strange jolt like when you’re half-asleep and begin to fall through the night, and everything moves at once, a desperate call to <em> wake UP </em>.  Something’s not right with Kacchan.  And- well, maybe it’s not Izuku’s business but that never stopped him before.  It sure as hell didn’t stop him from throwing on a disguise and trying to rescue his old (friend?) from the League, it didn’t stop him with the sludge villain, and it won’t stop him now.</p><p> </p><p>(League of Villains)  The kidnapping, the rescue- what if something more happened?  (<em> what if something went wrong?  But what could make Kacchan act like a completely different perso- </em>)</p><p> </p><p>A hot flush of fear followed by a cold sweat breaks across him.</p><p> </p><p>Himiko Toga.</p><p> </p><p>Oh, All Might, <em> no.  </em> That meant- that meant the League still had Kacchan if it was her, that meant they were harboring a dangerous criminal with sharp knives and a taste for blood, <em> that meant </em> Toga <em> was staring at Kirishima all morning.  </em> His classmates were starting to look he knew, and he knew he was muttering unintelligibly under his breath, he knew he had to calm down, <em> but please no- </em></p><p> </p><p>Izuku felt bile rise in his throat, breaths reaching up, pulling at his lungs, coming hard and sharp as he desperately tried to pull himself back.  (<em> In… 2, 3, 4… out… 2, 3, 4… </em>)</p><p> </p><p>Kacchan- <em> maybe, hopefully, please be right- </em> twisted in his chair to cock his head at him.  Izuku’s heart rate ratcheted up ( <em> that’s not Kacchan, not completely </em> ) and he stopped breathing when Kacchan raised an eyebrow, red eyes uninterested above his mask, and asked quietly if he was okay.  Or, well, said <em> “stop freaking out, nerd,” </em> but same difference- there was no yelling, cussing, or explosions.  That’s how Kacchan asked.  ( <em> Acting normal?  Pretending?  What’s happeni- </em>)</p><p> </p><p>“No!  No, I’m-,” the class turned as one to look at him, glancing curiously between him and Kacchan, “- I…”</p><p> </p><p>“What is it, problem child?” Aizawa-sensei asked, eyes alert though his posture was slumped and deceptively relaxed.  Izuku had seen him like that only moments before he took down half of the League at the USJ, so he knew to not be fooled.</p><p> </p><p>“Uhh… bathroom!  I’ve gotta- yeah, anyways…” Izuku jumped up and was in the hallway before Aizawa-sensei even had a chance to respond.</p><p> </p><p>He needed to think.  And he needed to watch- he couldn’t be wrong and drive Kacchan further away, but he also couldn’t be right and too slow if Kacchan was really gone.  If it really was <em> Toga </em>.</p><p> </p><p>Izuku had never felt a weight quite like this on his shoulders- the uncertainty dragged him down.  He walked through the abandoned hallway to the bathroom, mind spinning with thoughts almost too fast to track- making mountains out of mole hills, as Present Mic said Americans put it.  (But if he was right, this wasn’t a mountain, it was a whole-ass volcano about to erupt.)</p><p> </p><p>His face was pale and his eyes wide in the bathroom mirrors.  He splashed cold water across his face and tried to reach for some calm. It didn’t come all the way.</p><p> </p><p>His hands were still shaking when he went back to the classroom.  Uraraka along with a few others cast him concerned glances.  <em> “You okay?” </em>she mouthed, and he nodded faintly back.  When he got back to his seat he saw Iida and Todoroki staring- a quick thumbs up seemed to settle Iida, but Todoroki kept glancing between him and Kacchan.  It’s not subtle, either- the whole class, past their own whispered conversations and attempts at tracking the lesson watch them as well.  Izuku gives in to temptation and begins to write furiously in his analysis notebook, hoping that Aizawa-sensei thinks he’s actually paying attention.</p><p> </p><p>(Aizawa-sensei, meanwhile, takes the opportunity to nap.  None of the distracted students notice but four; this includes Yaoyorozu and Iida, both of whom are being frantically shushed by Kaminari and Mina before they can ruin the free time.)</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>    The cafeteria is busy as always, the hungry teens swarming into the room, seeking out the nearest, cheapest food.  Izuku watched as Kacchan shoved a bento into Kirishima’s hands, and- was Kirishima wearing orange leg warmers?  Huh.  They made their way to a table shoved in the corner and sat as Sero, Mina, and Kaminari made their way to them.  Kacchan and Kirishima sat with their backs to the wall, Kacchan’s gaze oddly fixated on the door until Kirishima elbowed him in the side, causing Kacchan to lightly smack the back of his head.</p><p> </p><p>“Izuku.”  Todoroki spoke in his usual toneless voice in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, sorry!  I wasn’t paying attention!”  Todoroki let a small smile stretch across his face and handed him a meal.  Izuku went for his wallet, intending to pay him back, but Todoroki showed him the plastic card held between two of his fingers and his smile widened to show a hint of teeth.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry about it, I’m sure my father will be happy to buy for us both.  Actually…”  with some convincing and no small amount of arm chopping from Iida, Todoroki bought for Uraraka, Tsuyu, and Iida as well.  Uraraka, her pride at first stung, couldn’t stop snickering after she saw the name on the card.  (Izuku choked on air when he thought he heard her whisper something about “unwitting sugar daddies” to Tsuyu- <em> not </em>an image or thought he needed.)</p><p> </p><p>The group made their way to an empty table- one of the few left- that stood kitty-corner to the self-dubbed Bakusquad’s.  (<em> And how did they manage to say that without Kacchan killing them? </em> )  Several other students welcomed themselves to seats around them- one notable addition being Tokoyami with Dark Shadow- the latter of which was attempting to stuff a whole melon into his shadowed beak.  Izuku didn’t even know Dark Shadow <em> ate </em> .  He- well, he <em> had </em> to know, so he scribbled a note on a spare napkin to ask Tokoyami about it later.  As unnoffensively as possible, because people could get a bit tetchy about their quirks.  Not that Tokoyami was like that!  Just that it was better to be cautious.</p><p> </p><p>A bright spark of laughter coming from nearby caused Izuku to look up, and he focused on Kacchan’s table, where Kaminari was shaking and laughing as Kacchan- what.</p><p> </p><p>Kacchan was- well he <em> appeared to be </em> - drinking hot sauce.  From the bottle.  Which was stuck up and under his mask.  Kirishima, beside him, held a quarter empty bottle of the same brand and was groaning on about- <em> stolen taste buds </em> ?  And Kacchan, once he slammed the empty bottle down, was relaxed like Izuku couldn’t remember him being, <em> ever </em> .  He leaned against Kirishima’s shoulder and took out the cheap paperback book from that morning, drawing it from nothing like it had been held in thin air.  Izuku choked on a bite of his onigiri when he saw the long, flowing, golden hair and chiseled six pack of the man on the cover, and turned bright red when he saw the well-endowed lady that the man had his arm wrapped around, her dress’s neckline plunging dangerously low.  A cheap romance novel?  And, going by the title- <em> Gentle something </em> ?- it was in english.  Izuku doubted even Toga would dare act so outrageously different from Kacchan and expect to get away with it.  ( <em> Unless she did?  Unless she </em> knew <em> that Izuku would think that, </em> knew <em> Izuku would dismiss it as Kacchan just changing- but the what if scenario was too horrible to contemplate- what if it was Toga, what if Kacchan was still with the - no.  Breathe. </em>)</p><p> </p><p>“What on earth is Bakugou-kun reading!”  Iida, it appeared, had followed Izuku’s eyes and was cutting through the air with his forearms rather violently in his surprise.  Uraraka glanced over and snorted, laughing uproariously as Kacchan noticed the commotion, glanced up, and wiggled his fingers in a wave as his eyes curled in a mostly hidden smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, he’s different today!”  Todoroki tilted his head curiously to the side at Uraraka’s exclamation, cocking an eyebrow when he saw Kacchan shove Kaminari to the ground when he reached for his book.  His eyes remained curved in a smile.</p><p> </p><p>“He’s still pretty violent,” Tsuyu said in that typical no-filter, straightforward way of hers that Izuku appreciated.  Her thoughts were always clear and easy to understand.  Not, he thought with a glance to his old (friend?), like Kacchan at all.  Kacchan was as loud as his explosions, and his motivation to become number one hero was clear, but everything else was lost to Izuku ever since Kacchan had gotten his quirk and left him behind.  (<em> ...a quirk in your next life… </em>)</p><p> </p><p>Maybe it wasn’t Toga, Izuku decided, but the situation still set something sour in his stomach.  He had to do <em> something. </em></p><p> </p><p>“I’ll be back in a minute, guys,” he came to a decision, standing and clearing his trash onto his tray, “I need to ask Aizawa-sensei about the paper we did last week.”  His friends didn’t really seem to buy the excuse, if the way they glanced between Kacchan and him were any indication, but they nodded and said goodbye, reassuring him that they’d see him after lunch.</p><p> </p><p>Izuku felt eyes burning into his back as he left the cafeteria (<em> two pairs of burning red eyes </em>), but when he glanced behind him both Kacchan and Kirishima were watching Mina as she avidly told a story.  Well, Kacchan was doing a bit more reading than watching (and how could he read that book in public without getting embarrassed?) but every now and then he’d look up and say something that set the whole table guffawing.</p><p> </p><p>Izuku turned to the hallway and set off for the teachers’ lounge.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>    All Might sat in the lounge, eating with an expressive Present Mic and a nearly asleep Aizawa-sensei.  As ever, when he saw All Might, Izuku felt a smile stretch unbidden across his face and excitement stream energy into his limbs.  Seeing his childhood idol would never get old, even when he was so changed by time and injury.</p><p> </p><p>    “Midoriya my boy!”  All Might boomed, his voice loud as ever despite his emaciated form, “what brings you here?”</p><p> </p><p>    “A- All Might Sensei!”  Izuku stuttered, “I- I need- umm…” he glanced at the other two teachers in the room- Yamada-sensei was watching avidly and it appeared that Aizawa-sensei had fully succumbed to sleep, “actually, I might need all three of you to help me?  Something’s wrong- er different, maybe?- with Kacchan and, and maybe Kirishima.”</p><p> </p><p>    Aizawa-sensei opened his eyes halfway, tilting his head to look at Izuku, “What’d you see, trouble child?”  Izuku blushed at the reminder of his various, ah, <em> adventures </em>.</p><p> </p><p>    “Well, Kirishima isn’t actually that different?  It’s more like-” he cast around for an explanation, eyes catching at the empty chair beside All Might that was pulled out while all of the other empty ones were tucked under the table, “- like walking into a room and all of the furniture has been shifted to the left.  He’s almost louder?  And he laughs a lot more- and it’s different?”  Present Mic nodded, face serious as he considered his words and gestured for Izuku to continue.  Izuku’s class had been through too many things to disregard even the slightest suspicions (-<em> there is still a traitor somewhere in UA- </em> ).  “And Kacchan is, umm.  Well, he’s still loud, but not as much?  He also didn’t go on his run this morning, and he was- well, you saw Aizawa-sensei.  In class today, he was almost, not <em> polite </em> , exactly, but also not <em> murderous </em>toward Mineta.”  Aizawa-sensei hummed quietly in thought.</p><p> </p><p>    “So, why do you need us?” his sensei was completely awake now, leaned forward in his chair with his hands clasped together on the table.</p><p> </p><p>    “I think- well.  Kirishima acting slightly off can just be seen as an off day, right?” all three nodded, “but Kacchan is completely different.  I’ve known him since we were kids and he never acted like this, and he <em> smiled </em> at Mineta, and he’s wearing a mask, so maybe he’s just sick- but what if it’s something worse?  What if he’s acting off because he’s not really Kacchan and the League still has him and if it’s not Kacchan it can only be <em> Toga </em>, and-”  Aizawa-sensei raised his hand to cut him off.</p><p> </p><p>    “Midoriya, are you suggesting that Bakugou is actually Toga and the League still has the real Bakugou?”</p><p> </p><p>    “Yes!”  Aizawa-sensei’s eyes narrowed.  All Might sat up impossibly straighter in his chair and Izuku could see the strength and resolve that the hero carried into every battle broadening his shoulders and presence by the mere suggestion of the power he once wielded.  Present Mic gasped when he heard Izuku’s confirmation and then let his mouth curl into something almost a snarl.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay,”  Aizawa-sensei said, cool and collected as he always was- always <em> had </em> to be, with his insane students, “Okay, well, that’s one thing easy enough to figure out.  It is a bit of a reach, but-” he glanced sharply at Izuku when he made a move to interrupt, “- but, if you’re correct, we’ll need some more heroes around in case Toga is here and the league is backing her.  I can contact some other pros and get them in the vicinity by tonight.  And Midoriya,”  he looked straight into Izuku’s eyes, “we <em> will </em>figure this out.  I promise, as a teacher and a hero, that whatever has happened, we will solve it, whether or not it’s as severe as you think.”</p><p> </p><p>Izuku choked on the ball of relieved tears that had gathered in his throat.  All Might looked as intimidating as ever, Present Mic looked ready to take on the entire League by himself, and Aizawa-sensei- reliable, trustworthy, and tough Aizawa-sensei- had a plan.  His old (friend?) would be okay.  </p><p> </p><p>The heroes were on it and it would be fine.  It had to be.</p><p> </p><p>(<em> But what if it wasn’t Toga and something else was wrong with Kacchan?  No quirk could see through something like that. </em>)</p><p> </p><p>- - - </p><p> </p><p>[EXCERPT FROM HERO ANALYSIS JOURNAL ‘<em> K </em>’]</p><p> </p><p>Monday xx/xx/xxxx</p><ul>
<li>Kacchan reading cheap english romance(?) novel at lunch</li>
<li>Kacchan waved to lunch table and smiled</li>
<li>Is it Kacchan?  <em>Is it Toga?  </em><strike><em>please no not the Leag</em></strike>
</li>
<li>Informed All Might, Present Mic, and Aizawa-sensei</li>
<li>Aizawa-sensei has plan </li>
<li>(Please let Kacchan be alright, <strike><em>please let it be Kacchan that was smiling at Kirishima like that</em></strike><em>)</em>
</li>
</ul><p> </p><p>- - - </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> 3 </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> The blackbird whirled in the autumn winds. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> It was a small part of the pantomime. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> -Wallace Stevens-  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    Structure always served to alleviate some of Izuku’s anxieties, and now that there was a plan, a good, solid plan being followed by good, solid people, he could breathe easier.  Aizawa-sensei would go to the dorms that very night, backed by Midnight, Present Mic, Snipe, and Thirteen.  With his quirk, Aizawa-sensei would be able to harmlessly figure out whether or not it was truly Kacchan.  And if it wasn’t, (<em> I promise, as a teacher and a hero, that whatever has happened, we will solve it… </em> ) well, they’d cross that bridge when- <em> if </em>- they got to it.</p>
<p>   </p>
<p>    Despite the reassurances and the cast of strong heroes that Izuku had admired since they debuted, he was still rather subdued as he walked back to the dorms after his classes ended for the day.  The strange behavior of Kacchan kept playing like a film reel in his head, and the momentary relief from the conversation with his teachers was fading.  There were so many things that could go wrong, so many things that may have already gone wrong.  (<em> Kacchan’s smiles, laughter, his tired eyes, his black mask- something is Wrong. </em>)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    When he got to the dorm building, walking by Todoroki the whole way and not catching a word of the conversation around him, he tried to distract himself.  After all, until Aizawa-sensei got there later, nothing could be done.  He made a peanut-butter banana smoothie to recuperate from the lifting they’d done last period, and settled in at the dining room table with Yaoyorozu, Kouda, and Uraraka as Iida quizzed Todoroki on the upcoming English test.  Lost in english verb conjugations and the bastard child of numbers and letters that math had become, Izuku hardly noticed the time passing.  The afternoon blurred and stretched, and then the door was opening and Aizawa-sensei in all his unkempt glory was there.  He was alone, but Izuku knew that the other heroes would be outside, surrounding the building, ready to spring into action the moment something seemed off.  UA was… <em> efficient </em>like that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Izuku tracked Aizawa-sensei’s progress to the entrance of the communal den.  Izuku stood, dropping an excuse about washing his cup, and moved until his line of sight was clear through the entranceway, still unnoticed by the occupants of the den.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kacchan was lying on the couch, head pillowed on Kirishima's lap.  He was looking lazily up at the red head, hands absently raising through the air to trace his face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You took my teeth." Kacchan said casually, poking at Kirishima's cheek.</p>
<p>   </p>
<p>"Well that's fucking horrifying." Mina looked over, dark eyes wide despite the deadpan tone.  Kaminari spluttered and spilled some of his smoothie and Sero just laughed as he lapped them both in Mario Kart.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Well, I didn't really take them?  You still have kinda sharp canines?" Kirishima tilted his head to look at Kacchan and poked his mask, around where his mouth should be. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kacchan huffed, "Rude," and rolled to stare at the TV. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Izuku watched the exchange with wide eyes, setting his cup gently in the sink to creep closer, now only a few feet from the as yet unnoticed Aizawa-sensei.  He heard his teacher mumble <em> what the fuck? </em> and spluttered silently, electing to back away a few steps in order to not distract Aizawa-sensei.  ( <em> Or draw Kacchan’s ire </em> .)  As he moved, he glanced back and saw all of his friends now watching.  Yaoyorozu tilted her head and raised a brow, silently asking what was happening.  Izuku shrugged and mouthed <em> later </em>- they deserved to know his suspicions, and if Aizawa-sensei’s plan didn’t resolve the issue, he’d need their help with more ideas.  He could analyse quirks all day, but when it came to people and their many complicated layers, it helped to have other perspectives.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Bakugou.”  The blond teen lazily looked over when he heard Aizawa-sensei call his name, throwing his hand up in a peace sign as his eyes curved in a mostly hidden smile.  (<em> Kacchan hasn’t smiled this much outside of bloodlust in years. </em>)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yo, sensei.”  Aizawa-sensei cocked an eyebrow, then jerked his head to the side in a <em> this way </em> gesture.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I need to talk to you for a moment.”  Kacchan glanced at Kirishima from where he was still sprawled over him.  They seemed to have a whole conversation in the space of a heartbeat, then Kirishima shrugged, smiled, and shoved a cussing Kacchan to the ground.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You just got on my shit-list, bitch!”  Kacchan flipped him off, scowling, as he heaved himself to his feet and towards Aizawa-sensei</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m honored, my most esteemed Rival!”  Yup, that proved it.  They were insane.  Kirishima had tears in his eyes- <em> happy tears? </em>- and was booming with laughter that the rest of his friends soon joined in on, though not as exuberantly.  Kacchan tossed back a few death threats until he was out of sight.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aizawa-sensei led him to the entranceway of the dorms, in clear view of one of the windows- and, Izuku figured, probably Snipe.  They talked for a moment in the vague shadows that the dying lightbulb cast, unintelligible murmurs that Izuku strained but failed to make out.  Their tones were both fairly even and calm, almost bored.  Aizawa-sensei talked the most while Kacchan had his arms crossed and an eyebrow quirked questioningly at his teacher.  He was silhouetted against the dusk that crept in through the window, placed perfectly in the center, perfectly in what was probably Snipe’s line of sight, if not one of the other heroes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And it seemed like Kacchan might know that, or suspect it, at least- unless Izuku was digging too deep into things.  He was calm and still (<em> that’s not Kacchan </em> ), barely talking, just nodding in agreement and acting in a way that discouraged any violent action.  (Did he think his teachers were baiting him into acting out?  Why was he so- <em> sports festival </em>.  Oh.  Maybe?  He hadn’t done this before?)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Izuku watched them inconspicuously, glancing over every now and then as he returned to the sink and decided to do all of the dishes in it to give himself time.  His classmates had quickly lost interest, figuring Kacchan had gotten in a fight with a student from a different class or it was something to do with schoolwork.  A quick look into what he could see of the den showed the Bakusquad back to playing Mario Kart, Kirishima having joined in and his rambunctious grin, as ever, unfaltering.  (Every now and then, he looked over and darkness washed over his face before disappearing.  Izuku never noticed.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was only Izuku who saw, then, as Kacchan shrugged at something Aizawa-sensei said, and Aizawa-sensei’s eyes burned red in the dark, his dark hair rising to float above him.  Kacchan remained unchanged.  Izuku sighed in relief, and then yelped as the water he had left running became too hot and ran over his hands.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not Toga.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aizawa-sensei stopped using his quirk and put his hand on Kacchan’s shoulder, saying a few muttered words before turning to leave.  Izuku watched as Kacchan watched him slip through the door, a glance thrown over his shoulder at Izuku, then the teen shrugged dismissively and turned to head back toward the den.  Kacchan glanced his way as he walked back toward Kirishima, an eyebrow raised, his gaze almost assessing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    “<em> Not bad, Deku,” </em>the hushed words barely registered as Kacchan shoved past him, going out of his way to do so.  Izuku barely breathed as he watched as Kacchan shoved Kirishima to the ground and claimed Kaminari’s controller. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    Izuku escaped giving any explanations until Hagakure and Mina grabbed him as he tried to go upstairs, exhausted for the day and ready to sleep.  Kacchan and Kirishima had slipped away only moments before, and it was getting close to nine.  While he didn’t normally keep a very strict sleep schedule in the dorms, he wanted to be prepared for what the coming days may bring.  Despite that, he went without complaint when they pulled him to where the rest of the class had congregated in the den, tucked up on couches and sprawled over blankets on the ground.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    The room was already flooded by shadows, lit mainly by the TV screen that was running the opening credits to some old American horror movie.  Mina and Hagakure pulled him to sit in between them on a vacant couch.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    “So…” Hagakure started, and, seemingly taking pity on the stressed looking Izuku, turned to look at Mina, and beyond her, where Kaminari and Sero were seated, “Mina, Sero, Kaminari, anything you guys want to share with the rest of the class?”  Yaoyorozu, her interest piqued, turned on subtitles as she turned down the volume.  (She was the only one they trusted with the remote anymore after a series of ludicrous events.  It had all culminated when Todoroki had both melted and frozen it, so now Yaoyorozu was the remote control controller.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    Kaminari shared a glance with Mina, and when they turned to more fully see the room, identical evil grins were splitting their faces.  Kaminari sounded downright malevolent as he spoke, “Oh, there’s something to share all right.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    “We woke them up!  And they were together!”  Mina burst in, throwing her arms in the air and narrowly avoiding backhanding Izuku.  Sero leaned in and looked around the room, catching everybody’s attention.  He smiled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    “<em> Together </em>together.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    “What!  That is against UA’s rules of-”  At Iida’s outrage on the dorm rules being broken, the remnants of the Bakusquad rushed to assure him that all clothes were present, Kirishima was above the covers, and it was all appropriate- but also undeniable that they were <em> together </em>together.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    “They <em> like </em>like each other!” Kaminari laughed at the offended face Jirou made at the elementary school phrasing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    “Umm, guys?”  Izuku gulped when the focus of the room shifted to him, training his eyes on the TV to ignore the nerves.  Mina’s smile had become positively devilish.  Focusing on the TV didn’t work, though, when the ghost of the movie flickered in and out of view with the scene’s flickering lights.  He switched to looking at the still grinning teens (though avoiding Mina <em> (scary) </em>.)  “Maybe- um, maybe we shouldn’t talk about this without Kacchan and Kirishima?  They might hear-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    “It’s fine, Midoriya,” Jirou glanced up from her seat by Yaoyorozu, “We all know Blasty’s bedtime was like forever ago, and, if what they’re saying is right-” she gestured at Mina, Kaminari, and Sero, “- we don’t really have to worry about Kirishima, either.  Besides, did you see the way they were acting in class?  They aren’t exactly trying to hide anything!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    “I- I guess?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    “Izuku,”  Todoroki spoke up, “You were acting oddly around Bakugou and Kirishima today.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    “Everybody’s acting weird today.  Like, why was Aizawa-sensei even here?”  Kaminari asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    “Um, well, it’s kinda hard to explain, and looking back on it I might’ve overreacted, but…”  So, Izuku explained everything to them- Kacchan’s out-of-character behavior, his easy smiles, the paperback book, and how nothing made sense.  He even <em> moved </em> differently, slouched but almost tensed, like a hunting dog on the scent of a wounded animal.  He explained how Kacchan and Kirishima moved around each other, even in the classrooms, covering each other’s blindspots and taking in all of the exits.  Izuku had literal <em> years </em>of practice analyzing heroes and Kacchan; he knew when someone was acting differently and almost defensively.  Like he expected enemies to jump out of the shadows.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    “So,” he finished, “I talked to Aizawa-sensei, Present Mic, and All Might, and said I thought, maybe, it was Toga-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    “Crazy knife lady?!” Mina burst in, her face in a grimace as she shivered in mock horror, “She’s <em> scary </em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    “It’s fine!  It’s not her, that’s what Aizawa-sensei was here to check.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    “Okay, so any clue what <em> is </em>up with those two?  Getting into a relationship couldn’t have changed them that much overnight!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    Izuku shrugged, hopeless, “I guess we’ll just have to try and figure it out.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- - - </p>
<p> </p>
<p>[EXCERPT FROM HERO ANALYSIS JOURNAL ‘<em> K </em>’]</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Monday xx/xx/xxxx</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><em>Not Toga!</em></li>
<li>Kacchan acting oddly in dorms- almost jokingly?</li>
<li>He knows that I know that something’s weird</li>
<li>Told class</li>
<li>Kacchan and Kirishima definitely together (<em>together </em>together, according to Sero)</li>
<li>If it’s not the League, then what’s happening?</li>
<li><em>(I just want to figure out what’s wrong with my old <strike>friend</strike>)</em></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>- - - </p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Not too sure about the ending, but this chapter was taking me forever already.  Hope y'all enjoyed!  Next one is gonna take a bit bcus I'm headed back to campus.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welp, I'm alive.  Sorry this took so long, and thank you for all the kudos and kind comments!  I had a rough semester and was an idiot with picking my classes- a lot of essays which meant not a lot of time for this.  Anyways, here's another chapter!  I promise I'll finish this, it's planned out sorta, but it will be slow going.  </p>
<p>Also, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, and here's to hope for a better year!  Even though everything is still a mess!  I hope you all stayed safe, happy and healthy, and continue to through 2021. </p>
<p>*** WARNING: lightly implied child abuse</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> 4 </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> A man and a woman </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Are one. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> A man and a woman and a blackbird </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Are one. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> -Wallace Stevens- </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>    If it wasn’t Toga, then what happened to Kacchan?</p>
<p>    The next day of class began in much the same way: a lethargic Kacchan, a boisterous Kirishima, and a sketchy paperback book.  Except this time, the class was watching their every move.  From the moment they entered the classroom, Kacchan slumped against Kirishima, as if that was the only thing keeping him standing, and reading that book, eyes had followed them.  Could a relationship really have changed a person that much?</p>
<p>    Izuku thought of his mother, his father, how he left, how his mom was quiet and sad and- well, he guessed love and loss could change a lot of things.  But even if it could, why would Kirishima try to change Kacchan when he had always admired his ‘Manliness’?</p>
<p>    His mind was swirling with worries that spilled out in unintelligible muttering and over the pages of his analysis notebook, ideas and observations scrawled across the paper.  Kacchan, buried in the paperback the whole class period, Kirishima’s eyes, soft and adoring whenever they flitted in the masked blond’s direction.  And the class, always obvious in the worst of times, making no effort to hide how they were assessing them.  He almost swore when the bell rang and startled him, pronouncing the end of the period.  English was next.</p>
<p>    The chalk was squeaking against the blackboard, grating to his mind and forcing him to pay attention.  Izuku watched as Present Mic wrote three sentences, each almost identical, and turned to the class.  As he started to speak, a balled up sheet of paper hit the side of Izuku’s head.  He glanced up at Present Mic, but he appeared to not have seen it, busy throwing around broad gestures and loud English.  Izuku smoothed out the paper, greeted by Uraraka’s familiar bubbly handwriting, with big loops and circles instead of dots.</p>
<p>    <em> ‘Mina said they’ve been spending more time together.  I didn’t think that was possible!  Did Bakuguou ever date someone before this?  Does he always get so- </em> weird <em> ?’ </em></p>
<p>Izuku glanced over to Uraraka’s waiting, wide eyes.  The seemingly empty uniform of Hagakure beside her was leaning his way as well, and even Tsuyu and Todoroki were glancing over now and again.  He turned back to the paper, flipping it over and smoothing it out again.</p>
<p>    <em> ‘I don’t think he dated anyone before this?  If he did, it was short and he didn’t tell me.  But I’ve never seen anything make him this- </em> Izuku glanced over at Kacchan’s relaxed slouch, his slightly smiling eyes, the book, now ever-present in his hands, with the near inappropriate cover- <em> calm.  Even when Auntie Mits- </em> he erased that bit, doubting that Kacchan would want the class to know about his mother’s tough love parenting style- <em> I don’t know.’ </em></p>
<p>The other heroes in training deflated a bit after reading his note and realizing that Izuku really had no input.  This was so far beyond the scope of his knowledge about Kacchan, who really knew what was happening?  It was, he reflected, just like he had previously thought- Kacchan was a different person.  But he wasn’t Toga.</p>
<p>    “All right, Listeners!”  Present Mic burst through Izuku’s thought bubble, and when he glanced at the board he was distracted, momentarily, by the way Kacchan’s eyes smiled in something that looked like fondness at the loud exuberance.  Present Mic gestured to two sentences he had written on the board after erasing the previous three.  “Who knows which is correct?  Bakugou!”  He gesticulated wildly, “Why don’t you have a go?”</p>
<p>    “Maa, Present Mic-san,” Kacchan drawled, his eyes darting up to the board for a moment before returning to his book, “<em> they shook hands </em> is right, not <em> they shaked hands </em>.”</p>
<p>    “Well done!  And,” Present Mic scrawled a longer sentence on the board, “what about this one?”  Kacchan, again, glanced at it for a moment.</p>
<p>    “Comma splice.”</p>
<p>    “Fantastic!  Now, I want everyone to pair up and come up with five compound sentences- <em> correct </em>sentences- each!”  The class groaned.  Izuku walked over to Uraraka’s questioning look. </p>
<p>    “<em> Dynamite! </em>” Mina hissed, leaning exaggeratedly over her chair in an attempt at getting a good grade by pairing with Kacchan, as Sero and Kaminari- the resident expert- had already teamed up.  Half the class glanced over at her before turning away again, but Izuku watched a moment longer.  Kacchan didn’t even glance her way, either completely ignoring her or somehow not hearing her yell-whisper.  Instead, he turned to Kirishima like the most natural thing in the world.  Mina let out an offended gasp, flailing dramatically, “My heart!  Kat, how could you?”</p>
<p>    Kacchan finally seemed to notice as her cries got louder, turning back to look at her as something like confusion flitted across the visible portion of his face.  In a split second, he was back at the vague indifference that was so alien to his usual scowls.  “Maa, what did you say, pinky-chan?”  Mina is not a quiet person.  (So why couldn’t he hear her?)</p>
<p>    A movement from the front of the class drew Izuku’s eyes to Present Mic as he shifted from where he was answering one of Iida’s questions.  His eyes were sharp behind his glasses as he watched Kacchan and Mina.</p>
<p>    Their interaction was cut short when Hagakure offered to partner up with Mina, leaving Kacchan to turn to Kirishima.  Izuku swore he still looked a little lost, a little confused.</p>
<p>    Class drew to a close and the students began to pack up to file out the door.  Izuku was one of the few left in the room when Present Mic called Kacchan to hang back- slightly louder than normal, which may sound difficult to do, but he was generally okayish at regulating his volume during class.  Generally.  Izuku knew he was staring too much today, but he couldn't help it as he watched Kacchan share a silent conversation in half a glance with Kirishima.  Then, the boisterous redhead left to join Sero, Mina, Kaminari, and Jirou who were waiting in the hall.</p>
<p>    Izuku hovered for a moment, battling against his curiosity and knowing that Kacchan wouldn’t appreciate the breach in privacy.  Finally, he forced himself away, but not before hearing Present Mic start to say, </p>
<p>    “Bakugou, if there’s something wrong with your hear...”</p>
<p>    Izuku was too far to hear the rest and Tsuyu was waiting with Iida and Yaoyorozu for him at the end of the hall.</p>
<p>    Kacchan was- <em> contemplative </em> for the rest of the day, quiet as had become the recent norm, but also deep in thought.  He hardly reacted to anything, exchanging few words with Kirishima and almost none with anyone else.  He just kept his head buried in that trashy book and, every now and then, he’d reach back as though to touch his ears before shaking his head, like he was reminding himself of something, and let his hands rest again.</p>
<p>    Izuku knew that what he was doing would probably be considered a major breach of privacy, was likely incredibly unheroic, and, in general, just wasn’t a good thing to do.  That did not stop him.  He turned down Uraraka and Tsuyu’s offer to walk back to the dorms with them after school, citing that he needed to ask Aizawa-sensei about how he could better focus on distance combat.  Which, he did need to ask- his quirk was best suited for hand to hand at the moment, and he needed to improve in distant situations.  But, he’d also noticed that Kacchan had been called to hang back (<em> again </em>) and talk to Present Mic and Aizawa-sensei after school.</p>
<p>    He was outside Present Mic’s classroom, where the three were gathered, listening (he knows, he knows- not the best thing to do, but this was <em> Kacchan </em>- he had to know if he was okay) as they started questioning Kacchan about his quirk, and his- his parents? (was something wrong with Auntie Mitsuki?  Uncle Masaru?)  Muffled voices, snatches of conversation-</p>
<p>    “They never even… doctor… your ears…”</p>
<p>    “... such a young age… Present Mic also…”</p>
<p>    “Maybe… Hound Dog could…”</p>
<p>    “<em> Dog!? </em>”</p>
<p>    “If… and your parents haven’t…”</p>
<p>    It was difficult to make out, even Present Mic was speaking quietly, but it seemed like something was wrong with Kacchan's hearing, and- his parents did nothing?  Izuku, well- he really couldn't have heard that correctly.</p>
<p>Auntie Mitsuki was a very "tough love" sort of person, but surely not that tough?  (<em> right? </em>)</p>
<p>The voices faded, and footsteps scuffed toward the door.  Izuku jerked back, and, heart pounding, backed quickly and quietly away.  He turned a corner and, as soon as he heard the click of the door opening, rounded the corner toward it.  He had a lot to consider, but he did really need to ask questions about his training, and have an alibi.</p>
<p>Present Mic called a greeting and goodbye as he left, and Kacchan did his odd, out of character, smile with his eyes, throwing up a peace sign before continuing to the dorms.  Weird.  He still looked not entirely present.</p>
<p>Aizawa-sensei just waved him in and sighed as he prepared to listen to another problem child.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kacchan wasn’t in the dorms when Izuku got back.  He wasn’t in the kitchen or the common area or his room (it was not paranoia, Kacchan got kidnapped enough times-!).  Izuku knocked on Kirishima’s door as a last resort, though he heard the rest of their friends in there, but no explosions and yelling (would he even hear those anymore?  Why was Kacchan acting so weird <em> something’swrong </em>-).</p>
<p>“Midoriya!”  Kirishima beamed as he swung the door open.  His voice had become more- well, the only word to describe it was <em> booming </em> lately.  “You’re welcome to come inside!” he gestured to the other teens sprawled around his room, eating snacks and playing Smash, “we’re engaging in a battle of Youth- er, Manliness!  Though, I do wish my Rival was here for it.”  Izuku could almost see the unnecessary capitalizations.</p>
<p>“Uh, thanks for the invite, Kirishima!  But actually, I wanted to ask about your- um, your Rival?” -<em> shit, he was doing it now too </em>- “Have you seen Kacchan since classes ended?”  Kirishima’s smile grew, if possible, even wider at the mention of Kacchan, something like fondness lighting up his eyes.</p>
<p>“He came back a few minutes ago, but just to say something about seeing a hound dog?  And left.  I wouldn't worry too much- Kaka- er, Katsuki’s always been willing to drop everything for a dog!”</p>
<p>    Izuku frowned in thought.  That was not the Kacchan he knew- or, thought he knew.  True, they’d known each other since birth, but lately, it seemed like only Kirishima could even begin to understand him.  (<em> it kind of hurt.  Even though, with their past, it shouldn’t </em> ).  But Hound Dog- therapy?  <em> Finally </em>?  Maybe he’d leave this one alone, just to make sure he wouldn’t drive Kacchan away from helping himself, like he’d needed for quite a while now.</p>
<p>    “Oh, thanks Kirishima!  I can just ask him whatever at school tomorrow!”</p>
<p>    “No problem Midoriya!  Are you sure you don’t want to join?”  Kirishima cocked his head to the side- finally, a familiar gesture.</p>
<p>    “Oh, thanks, but I told Todoroki I’d work on homework with him.  Thanks though!  I hope you guys have fun!”</p>
<p>“How Youthful, to help a fellow student out!  You’re a good person Midoriya!”  With that, Kirishima turned to rejoin his friends, gently closing the door behind him.  (<em> Youthful?) </em></p>
<p>Izuku, for his part, smiled and felt the weight on his shoulders ease slightly.  No matter the slight differences, Kirishima was reliable.  In the time they’d known each other, he’d always been there for Kacchan.  (‘<em> A good person’- it still felt good, every time someone complimented him on something integral to being a hero. </em>)</p>
<p>He was still feeling lighter when he reached Todoroki’s door.  Kacchan was strange and different, but so far it wasn’t malicious.  So far, he still felt like they could figure this out.</p>
<p>   </p>
<p>- - - </p>
<p> </p>
<p>[EXCERPT FROM HERO ANALYSIS JOURNAL ‘<em> K </em>’]</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tuesday xx/xx/xxxxC</p>
<ul>
<li>Could a relationship cause such a large change?</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Present Mic noticed something wrong with Kacchan (Parents?  Hearing?)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Sensei recommended Kacchan see Hound Dog?</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><em>Extra training with Ojiro for hand-to-hand?- ask him later</em></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Kirishima speaking weirdly- well, weirder- Youth?</li>
<li>Ask Kacchan </li>
</ul>
<p>
  <em> (after all, Izuku has known him for so long and, if something is wrong with or between Kacchan and his parents, well.  Maybe he doesn’t deserve to know, but he certainly needs to.) </em>
</p>
<p>- - - </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Feel free to point out any continuity or other errors- I've got an awful memory and it's been a second since I last updated.  Have a good day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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